Movin' On Up: Economic Development Council updates board

The board of supervisors received an update from the Siskiyou County Economic Development Council (EDC) at its regular Tuesday meeting.

Opening the presentation, Tonya Dowse, EDC executive director, said this was the busiest year of her career.

The EDC secured three brownfield grants, bringing in approximately $1.5 million of financing. The grant funds have gone and will continue to go toward the environmental assessments and developmental preparation of sites that served a prior use – or "brownfields" as they are known in urban planning argot. The Bellcampo Meat Co. facility in Yreka was once such a site.

The EDC also received three tourism grants for strategic marketing and the potential creation of a tourism business improvement program, as well as a grant to help finance the construction of electric vehicle charging stations – though it is still looking into what cities would make the best fit for the new power pumps.

Using funding from the board of supervisors, the EDC has crafted the Siskiyou Harvest Food Hub as a strategic initiative. In addition, a Farmer's Market Commercial Grant is being used to develop a Shasta/Cascades Farm Trail Map, resulting in a cross-county promotional piece to advocate local growers and producers in Siskiyou and Shasta counties.

"We want to work with the local producers to really help them develop and further their economic value within our county," Dowse said.

Although Dowse could not provide specifics, she did mention that two manufacturing companies are actively looking at coming to Siskiyou County. If the projects materialize, both would bring local jobs and investments.

Mystery company A would represent a $5.8 million investment in facilities and fixed assets, a more than $30 million investment in equipment and more than 60 new jobs for Siskiyou County. Mystery company B has the potential to bring a $13 million investment in facilities and fixed assets, $9 million in equipment, and approximately 40 to 50 new jobs.

"We've got a really neat and once in a lifetime – well, at least my career and the last ten years – opportunity to cite a new business in Siskiyou County," said Jason Darrow, EDC program director. He encouraged the board to be active in the process and use the opportunity to showcase the county to other businesses.

However, Gov. Jerry Brown recently voted to eliminate the Enterprise Zone program, which provided economically distressed areas in California assistance through a variety of incentives to promote business investment and job creations, as stated on the California Department of Housing and Community Development's website.

The program will conclude on Dec. 31, and will be replaced with a new range of incentives.

"Enterprise Zone has been a long-standing program that our businesses have benefitted from," Dowse said, explaining that its removal has cut two-thirds of the resources available for EDC to do its work.

Page 2 of 2 - She continued, "It's been in place in Siskiyou County in some way shape or form for over 20 years. The current program encompasses every community in Siskiyou County."

She added that with the announcement of its inevitable end the EDC has seen a dramatic increase in the number of businesses taking advantage of the program, and local businesses can book earned tax credits up to the end of December and keep them for up to 10 years.

Dowse also mentioned that the loss of the Enterprise Zone has been the biggest challenge in dealing with the two aforementioned companies, as both based their decisions on the tax climate before Gov. Brown's decision.

"The Enterprise Zone was a program that actually worked for us, that actually benefitted Siskiyou County," District 5 Supervisor Marcia Armstrong said. "Now they've restructured it so it no longer does so. Do they want us to have an economy or don't they?"

District 1 Supervisor Brandon Criss requested Dowse contact those using the Enterprise Zone now so they can properly prepare for the deadline.

"I think it's really easy for people to say, 'EDC is Enterprise Zone.' You do a lot more than Enterprise Zone," said District 2 Supervisor Ed Valezuela. He added that the county has had positive growth and should continue to work toward the positive.